IO6 FEEDING FARM ANIMALS 



also more susceptible to injury from this source while in 

 process of development. 



Unrest and vicious animals. In some instances, the 

 stronger animals of the stud or herd so injure and domineer 

 as it were over those that are weaker, as to hinder develop- 

 ment or production, and in some instances both. This 

 tendency is more strongly developed in horses and cattle 

 than in sheep and swine, and probably for the reason that 

 they are more effectively armed with weapons of offence. 

 Sheep are almost entirely free from viciousness, hence they 

 have come to be the emblem of innocence and passive suf- 

 fering. . 



In some instances the tendency is inherited, in others 

 it is begotten and strengthened by short supplies of food. 

 In the latter instances horses, cattle and swine will play 

 the dog in the manger over food that may be given, with 

 the difference that they consume the best of the food, 

 whereas, the dog does not consume any. Under such con- 

 ditions horses sometimes strike and kick viciously, cattle 

 gore mercilessly, . and swine will move back and forth 

 wantonly along the trough, punishing every animal as they 

 go and eating all the time with gluttonous haste. Even 

 sheep, when rack room is not abundant, will, through 

 crowding, force the weaker animals to stand back and 

 watch for their opportunity. Unless some remedy is 

 brought to bear, the return from the weaker animals will 

 be seriously lessened. 



In some instances the only remedy is removing either 

 the strong or the weak to separate quarters. This remedy 

 is about the only one that can be applied in the case of 

 horses and swine. With cattle, dehorning is effective. 

 The removal of the horns after they have grown a while, 

 say until the animals are one year old, is more potent in 

 its influence on docility than preventing the horns from 

 growing in early calf hood. If the horns are not allowed 

 to grow, the animals learn to strike with the head more 

 or less. If they are allowed to remain long enough to 



